The Bottom Line: The i3 survives the transition from concept car to
production car, retaining all its quirky styling with the promised
performance of a true electric car. Now if the infrastructure will only
catch up

BMW introduced its all-electric i3 sedan to the media in
coordinated productions in New York, London and Beijing. These cities were
chosen because they have large urban populations and it is this audience
that BMW wants to hear the message of the i3.

Except for the faux twin kidney grill, the i3 looks like
no other BMW. This is the result of literally using a clean sheet of paper
in the design. The i3 has a taller aspect ratio than the
“average” BMW, and it’s significantly shorter. The
clamshell doors and the absence of a B-Pillar are other clues to the
difference.

However, inside the i3 there is room for four passengers,
if cozily. The front seats are spacious, while the rear seats are tight.
With a full-size adult in the front seat, I could only be comfortable in
the seat behind it if I spread my legs out. I could do this because there
is room around the sides of the front seats.

The frame of the i3 is made from carbon reinforced plastic
that is produced in Washington State. While the car itself is made in
Germany, it is a global car.

“The passenger cell is extremely strong and
lightweight,” said Dr. Norbert Reithofer of BMW. “It will be an
Ultimate Driving Machine.”

The i3 is unique in every respect. It signifies a new era
of sustainable mobility, according to D. Reithofer. Besides being the first
time reinforced carbon fiber is used in a car, the i3 also represents the
first time sustainable materials are used in other areas of the car. For
example, the fabric of the thin seats and the dash material are all
organic. The dash is made of dried grass.

The engine sits in the rear of the i3 and propels the rear
wheels, like a true BMW. The battery sits between the front wheels and the
passenger compartment and is very low, giving good driving dynamics. With
the carbon fiber frame and the aluminum space frame used for the drive
motor, BMW is able to offset the weight of the battery by 230 kg. There is
also a flat floor, aiding in making the interior livable. There is no
tunnel and no center console.

Head of BMW design Adrian van Hooydonk said, “The
proportions are unique. It has the most amount of interior space with a
small footprint. It is taller than usual. The design should hold place with
the modernity of the times.”

The i3 rides on narrow P155/70R19 tires. There is no
spare. They are narrow because of aerodynamics. The body is made from
injection mold thermoplastic. The rear of the car is black, but the tail
lights show when they are on.

It is in the interior where the newness of the i3 is
shown. Instead of a standard dash there are two flat screens. In front of
the driver is a modern “instrument panel” while in the center
of the car is an infotainment screen with a deep well in front of it. Each
front seat has its own sun roof, a unique approach

Access to the rear seats is through a hatch-like opening
seen in some small sedans/coupes. Once seated in the back, the rear
passengers can’t exit without the front passengers opening their
doors. Even with the hatch-like door, entry and egress are okay because of
the absence of a B-Pillar. There’s a window behind the C-Pillar to
reduce any closed-in feeling. It has a very nice trunk for its size.

In response to a reporter’s question, BMW executives
said they fully expect the i3 to pass all federal crash tests.

BMW expects the i3 to have a range of 80 to 100 miles
between charges. A “range extender” can be added that will add
range up to as much as 140 miles. The range extender is a 650 cc
two-cylinder gasoline engine that will charge the batteries.

BMW claims that the i3 has the footprint of a 1 Series,
the interior space of a 3 Series and the materials of a 5 Series.
There’s no question that it is very BMW-like, although not in the 7
Series class. There’s nothing cheap about it. With an estimated
sticker price of around $42,000 before incentives, it is expensive for its
size. But look at the money you’ll save at the gasoline pump, (if you
drive the 30 miles per day the EV world is based on you will save almost
$800 a year in fuel if compared to a 40 MPG vehicle, oops but the i3 costs
2x as much as a similar sized vehicle) The BMW i3 will be in dealerships in
late 2014.